Garden Q&A: Why has my clematis failed to bloom well?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Clematis is one of the most popular garden plants. Known for its incredible flowers, clematis offers such a broad range of bloom colours (blue, purple, pink, red, white), shapes and seasons (spring, summer and fall). Picture: iStock

I have a large flowering clematis around a tree on the lawn. Last year I was gifted a profusion of blooms all around the plant. Alas, this year, no-show really. I was lucky if a dozen blooms have appeared. I pruned as early as last year and gave feed too. Maybe there's a knack to the way you tie in or train the branches/tendrils?

ANSWER

No, how you tie in the tendrils or stems shouldn't have any impact on the quantity of flowers, it is more likely to do with pruning or feeding.

It is recommended to prune the summer-flowering, C. viticella types in early spring as they produce flowers on the current season's growth. 

Perhaps you pruned a bit too late and this could have had an impact? 

You could try ignoring the advice and pruning directly after flowering this year. 

I have done this before and often find that it results in better blooming the following year. 

Feeding too is important with good quality tomato food or similar and perhaps try more regular feeding. Hope this helps.

• Got a gardening question for Peter Dowdall? Email [e-mail]